A bungled last-minute invitation for a regional meeting caused the first diplomatic hiccup between Iraq and its neighbours, writes Salah Hemeid Troubled by the deteriorating security situation in the country, Iraq's neighbours and Egypt held a two-day meeting this week to discuss the impact of the escalating violence on the region's stability. Baghdad, however, snubbed the gathering as "unimportant" and said it will not accept its resolutions because Syria, the host country, failed to send "a proper invitation" to the Iraqi foreign minister. In a statement issued after two days of discussions, the foreign ministers of Syria, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan -- plus regional heavyweight Egypt -- called for cooperation on controlling Iraq's borders and urged US-led forces to restore order in the violence- plagued country. The ministers also condemned terrorist attacks in Iraq and expressed support for Baghdad's US- appointed Interim Governing Council. "[The ministers] condemn the terrorist bombings that target civilians, humanitarian and religious institutions, embassies and international organisations working in Iraq," said the closing statement. Yet the communiqué read by Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk Al-Shara failed to mention the attacks on the coalition forces that have so far killed some 160 American and several British soldiers. Syria called the meeting, the first of its kind since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime in April, to focus on the repercussions of the situation in Iraq for the region. Concerns about the impact of Iraq's political future on their own security have driven the seven nations to hold prior meetings, despite mutual mistrust and deep divisions over the US-led war. The seven ministers met first in Istanbul, Turkey, on the eve of the war, and then in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in May. The meeting, which came as the United States laid increasing blame on foreign fighters for a wave of violence in post-war Iraq, was expected to focus on the need to prevent militants from crossing regional borders. Washington repeatedly called on Syria and Iran to take action to stop the infiltration of "foreign terrorists" after a string of suicide bombings in Iraq. US officials have also accused Damascus of harbouring former Iraqi officials and holding some three billion dollars of Iraqi money allegedly transferred to Syria by Saddam before his fall. Earlier, however, a dispute about Iraqi participation had threatened to derail the two-day consultations, highlighting the confusion and uncertainty over the impact of Iraq's occupation by foreign powers. Kuwait and Saudi Arabia reportedly threatened to boycott the gathering if Iraq was not invited. Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said "it is only natural that Iraq should participate" in the discussions. Jordanian Foreign Minister Marawan Moashar was also quoted as saying that the meetings would be meaningless without Iraq's participation. Syria extended Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari a last-minute invitation, but said the seven ministers would decide during the first session whether he would be allowed to take part. Syrian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Bushra Kanafani confirmed that an invitation had been sent to Zebari, but, she added, "The participants at the meeting will debate his participation on Saturday [the first day of the meeting]." She did not explain why the Syrians did not discuss Iraq's participation with the other ministers earlier. Zebari said he did not attend the talks because he didn't regard the qualified invitation as proper, adding that the US-appointed Interim Governing Council would not abide by any decisions taken. "How can they discuss Iraq's affairs in the absence of an Iraqi representative? It is regrettable," Zebari told Al-Ahram Weekly from Baghdad. Striking an angry tone in a telephone interview, Zebari said: "No party is entitled to impose its mandate on Iraq, the Iraqi people alone have the right to determine their political future." Asked what issues he would have raised if he had joined the discussions, he said "cooperation to combat terrorism". "What is required of neighbouring countries that care about the unity, sovereignty and security of Iraq is to back Iraqi efforts to bolster security and stability, combat terrorism, bar terrorists from crossing over, and secure the borders," Zebari said. Other Iraqi officials said Zebari planned to use the forum in the Syrian capital to demand an end to cross- border infiltration by foreign fighters believed to have role in a recent upsurge of violence in Iraq. Even before the controversy over the regional meeting, Damascus had adopted a pragmatic approach to Iraq by establishing contacts with Iraq's US-sponsored Interim Governing Council, a constant stream of whose members have visited the Syrian capital since Saddam's fall. But it also received groups of disgruntled Iraqi politicians and tribe members who are opposed to the American presence in Iraq. On the whole, both the Americans and the Interim Governing Council feel that some neighbouring countries -- especially Syria and Iran -- are meddling in Iraq's internal affairs. On Sunday L Paul Bremer, the top US administrator in Iraq, told CNN that infiltrators are still coming from Syria. "What we need in the case of the Syrian border is much better cooperation from the Syrian government in stopping these people on their border." He said the same message applied to Iran as well. In an interview with London's Daily Telegraph on Thursday, Al Shara claimed that Syria was unable to stop resistance fighters pouring across the border into Iraq to attack American troops. "They are very determined and many of them dream of seeing an American tank," he said. On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi acknowledged the cross-border infiltration into Iraq and said Iraq's neighbours wanted to promote security and control their borders. However, Kharrazi rejected "any accusations of interfering in the internal affairs of Iraq". Regardless of the outcome of the Damascus meeting this week, Iraq's neighbours will remain concerned about the regional consequences of a US presence at their borders and a close US ally in Baghdad. Syria and Iran, already under diplomatic pressure from Washington, might feel threatened by the nearby US military presence. Turkey feels its strategic role is diminishing while Iraqi Kurds, its long-time foes, are playing a greater role in shaping Iraq's future. Saudi Arabia, which lost its strategic importance to Washington by the re-deployment of US forces from Saudi Arabia to Qatar, has been under severe criticism by the US for its alleged role in promoting Islamic radicalism. Even Jordan and Kuwait are unsure how long their honeymoon with the US will continue if Iraq becomes the centerpiece of America's new Middle East strategy .
